Walking around the Square during the holiday season, one is bound to find every storefront decked in bows, ornaments and tinsel. Part of what makes Oxford, Miss., special is the local businesses that contribute to putting customers in the Christmas spirit.
With a big “Hotty Toddy” sign, garland and ribbons adorning the entryway, Neilson’s Department Store is the oldest business on the Square and also one of the most festive.
Amanda Lewis Hyneman owns Neilson’s with her family, where she oversees the purchases for the women’s department. Hyneman said the process for preparing for each year’s Christmas is an endeavor that begins at the start of every calendar year.
“The vendors we carry always are on trend,” Hyneman said. “They know what’s going to be popular or what the consumer is going to like. So really, the vendors dictate what we carry and what is going to be on trend because we buy like Christmas, we bought that in January.”
That process continues into the following fall, Hynemand said.
“Our busiest time is going to be football season, then Christmas,” Hyneman said. “They’re sort of equal in importance. So we have a heavier stock starting in September, and we just continue to grow that stock until we have what we feel is enough to carry us through Christmas.”
Other businesses, like boutique Katherine Beck Gifts, also select stock based on trends, manager Payton Pitts said.
“We kind of look at things that have been trending throughout the year because typically those trickle into Christmas decor as well,” Pitts said. “Or just like home decor trends, like acrylics have been really big for a couple of years. And then, we look at color patterns and things like that. Sometimes we just go off of what we like personally.”
As a business that mostly caters to college students who are members of Greek life, Pitts said that the Christmas season can actually be less hectic.
“(For) most stores, Christmas is like their biggest time of year,” Pitts said. “For us, it’s sorority recruitment, so rush makes Christmas look easy. But Christmas is also fun because you’re getting ready for the holidays and everything’s bright, fun (and) colorful.”
Stores on the Square tend to bring in many out-of-town customers for the holiday season, like Neilson’s customer Nancy Shales from Hattiesburg, Miss.
“We always come before Christmas and do a little shopping in Oxford,” Shales said. “I come to the Square stores because I know that they are stores that my grandsons and my son like to shop at, and I know things that they enjoy and that they wear.”
Shales said the particular attention to detail in decorations is what draws her to local businesses.
“It is fabulous and so inviting,” Shales said. “And it’s just such a small town atmosphere that makes you feel welcomed, and you want to be part of (it).”
As the day on the calendar counts down closer to Christmas, businesses see more Oxford locals.
“One thing that’s really nice about small businesses is you have your locals and these people that you interact with all year long,” Pitts said. “We have a lot of people every year that come to our Christmas open house, and they’ll start asking me when that is in August just so they can put it in their calendar.”
Pitts said a privilege of selling Christmas in Oxford is the close bond between residents and local businesses.
“The locals in Oxford are really, really good about shopping locally rather than going to your big department stores and things,” Pitts said. “So that’s something we’re really lucky with because I know a lot of small towns like Oxford aren’t so lucky.”
